Synthesis of novel chiral bisoxazoline ligands with a norbornadiene backbone: use in the copper-catalyzed enantioselective Henry reaction

Novel chiral bisoxazoline ligands based on norbornadiene were synthesized and used for the asymmetric Henry reaction. Various aromatic aldehydes were converted into chiral $\beta $-nitro alcohols with high yields and moderate to acceptable enantioselectivities under the optimized reaction conditions.